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Otto's area in our entryway isn't working well, the hooks keep on falling down (being pulled down) and it's always messy. Entryways are so important as often they are the first place we see when we enter our homes. They are designed to help us to be more organised. Toddler entryway spaces need to be functional but is it possible for them to be beautiful too? Here are a few toddler entryways that I am admiring.

Pictured above, this is wonderfully organised and has just the right amount of space for the amount of belongings. The step would also be a great place for a toddler to sit and put on shoes.

It's wonderful when a child, especially a toddler, can do their chosen activity independently from start to finish. I recently wrote a little about the snack containers we have been using. Otto (18 months) can open them independently but cannot close them. It's not so much of an issue as sometimes he will use all of the contents or I am close enough to close the containers for him. But it really bugged me. There must be a better solution, there must be airtight containers that toddlers can use independently?

I searched and I found that a lot of people with arthritis recommend the OXO POP containers. The OXO POP are known for being easy to open and easy to close. Perhaps they will work for a toddler too?

I decided to use an OXO POP container for Otto's play dough. He uses playdough a couple of times a day. We had been using a beeswax wrap for the play dough which is really easy for the toddler to open but when Otto would wrap it up again, it wouldn't be tight enough and the play dough would end up with yucky, dry edges.

With the OXO POP the child presses the large centre button and it releases the airlock on the container and the lid can be easily taken off. The button feels like it has a spring in it, Otto really likes just pressing the button up and down, it's super easy to do and it doesn't need much pressure at all.

Then it's time to get the play dough out.

And play...

It takes Otto a few goes to get the lid on properly (aligned and in place) but when he does it's a simple press of the button and the airlock is in place again. Even one handed! After a day Otto had no problem using the OXO POP completely independently. A much younger child would be able to use them too, perhaps from around 14-16 months with a little practice.

Otto puts his play dough and his materials back into the little case and back on the shelf.

I'm not going to replace all of our containers because it would be such a waste. But for toddlers and high usage containers where an airlock is important, I recommend the OXO POP. I haven't tested the seal with liquids and I don't know how it would last over time, they look and feel strong and robust.

From around two to two and half years I found my children were able to open and close simple snap-lock and Sistema type containers. I recommend shopping in store with your toddler if possible and see which containers they can and can't open.

This furniture, pictured above, is by Pawoo design for kids. I love their design philosophy "Specifically designed for our little explorers that, even before learning to walk, already want to discover the world with their own hands. Each product aims to accompany children in their discovery in an autonomous but safe way." Isn't this a beautiful perspective?

This morning Otto was sitting on the floor trying to put his pants on. He kept on pushing both of his legs into the one pant leg. Then he would kick and scream and throw himself on the floor and it would start all over again. I sat down next to him, trying to work out how to best to help him. I held out the second pant leg and tried to guide his leg into it. But Otto didn't want the help and he started kicking me. Oh, it's such a vicious circle, how to help someone that doesn't want to be helped?

We weren't making any progress. So I stayed with Otto and gave him time.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait some more.

Otto got really worked up, but he made it. He eventually got one leg in each pant leg, he stood up, pulled his pants up as high as he could, and just walked off. He faces similar frustrations putting on his shoes. It's because he knows he can do it, but he doesn't have the skill to do it easily or every time. If he didn't get his leg through and still wouldn't accept my help, I probably would have allowed him to go pantless while we were at home.

Later in the day, Otto walked up to me asking for help. He'd taken his top off and put a new one on, but he only got his head through the top, he knew he wasn't able to get his arms in so he asked for and accepted the help.

We need to recognise that the struggle is an essential part of the learning process. Helping the child when they don't need it is a barrier to their development.

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." - Maria Montessori. I interpret this quote as don't interfere when the child doesn't need your help. Too often we step in too quickly and take the learning opportunity away from the child and disempower the child. Frustration can lead to increased focus, determination, skill development, problem-solving skills and, resiliance. I find that I am able to be more relaxed when we have time. Observing a very young child work through a frustration and can be really inspiring - yes they are capable, and often that look on their face when they finally 'get it' is priceless!! Here are a few things that I try:

Observe and understand the cause of the frustration. Is there a way I can remove a barrier, what is the cause the frustration, can it be lessened?

Stay and be patient. I want my child to know that I am available if needed. I remain calm even if the child continues to refuse help. On some occasions, I may step away for a moment to give the child some space but I quietly keep my eye on them.

Respect the child's right to autonomy. As much as possible don't interfere. We must (as much as possible) respect the child's wishes and right to autonomy and ownership over their own body.

Ask for permission. "Can I help you?", or tell the very young child what you are going to do before you do it and seek a positive reaction (permission) "I'm going to help you now/ I'm going to put your leg through here.".

Offer the child a choice. This is my least preferred option and often is a last resort. Choices may help a child to move past the frustrations but doesn't deal with the frustration itself. "Shall we leave this and go play outside?".

The Montessori Toddler as always has some good tips: "The struggle is important. The child will enjoy mastering activities that are hard enough to provide a challenge, but not too difficult that they give up easily. We can wait until they are about to give up and, as before, we step in to give a small amount of assistance and then step back again." Simone suggests there are two ways we can offer help, by showing them "Would you like me to show you?", "Would you like a little help?" and to give verbal cues, for example: "Have you tried turning it?". Great advice, yes??

Otto needs to feel the frustration, he is learning to problem solve, he is experiencing and managing his emotions. It's ok to feel frustrated. It would be easier, in some ways, just to dress the child, to take the independence away, but what does that do to the formation of the child?

Above pictured are some of the recent language baskets and trays I've used with Otto (18 months). My approach with Otto is slightly different to what I used with Otis. I've made sure that all of Otto's language materials are relevant to him and our family. The animals are animals that he has seen, the vehicles have been seen in our community, the workers are those that Otto knows, the flowers and herbs are from our very own garden. There are no Australian animals, no African or Arctic animals, we will introduce these later, once they become relevant to him. I've also tried to include items that interest him.

Toddlers are absorbing so much and learning about the world around them, they are trying to make sense of the world around them. We can assist them with language, by giving them the names, the words of things. Why not start with the things that really exist around them.

Dogs / Birds

Transport / Insects

Community Workers / Farm Animals

Root Vegetables / Fruit

Herbs / Flowers

Language baskets are primarily about language, teaching the names of things, to increase knowledge, expand vocabulary and comprehension. At home, language baskets can also be used for open-ended play. We can also take them into the kitchen and cut the foods open and taste them, admire what is inside. We can use the language baskets for a three-period lesson. I keep in mind to use accurate language and scientific names. At 18 months we haven't used any language cards or started any matching activities. Otto is really absorbed in his current materials, this will be a natural progression.

We are also constrained by our environment and resources. I love looking at language baskets in toddler classrooms. Often I've seen miniature work tools, model gardening materials, holiday clothes (often doll sized), beach clothes and equipment all in language baskets. Please note that you may want to use less objects in your language baskets than we have in ours pictured, often it's best to start with fewer object especially if they are new to the child or if the child is younger.

Have you been looking for an audio player for your toddler? Something that is screen free, with a volume limiter and something that is really robust? We've been using the hörbert and I've been receiving a lot of requests for more affordable options. These audio players (pictured above) meet my requirements but many use new technology and are not necessarily budget friendly. However, they allow a very young toddler to safely and independently navigate audio files like meditation, songs, music and audio books.

hörbert - we love the hörbert, it goes with us everywhere. I love the timber frame and the colour buttons which are super easy to use. Each button plays a series of different songs or stories. The hörbert comes preloaded, we chose the multilingual version so you can play it straight away. But you can add what you like onto the memory card. There is a simple on and off switch on the top and a volume knob, which is volume limited. The hörbert is made in Germany and I suggest could be used from 10-12 months+.

Jooki - the song or story starts to play when the character is placed on the Jooki. You can also add your own audio files on a memory card and use the Jooki app to make your own playlists.

Tonies - this is a very simple and easy to use design. Although the Tonies are not recommended for children under three due to small parts. The child just needs to place the Tonie onto the Toniebox for the audio file to play. You can order different Tonies including music or audio books and there is also a Creative-Tonie in which you can upload your own audio file up to 90 minutes. Also available on Amazon UK here.

Ocarina - I've received a ton of recommendations for the Ocarina. This robust mp3 is made in Italy. It has four buttons to do everything and is babyproof!

TIMIO - this is fully funded but still available for preorder on Kickstarter. The child places a disc on the TIMIO and presses an image for the audio file to play. It comes with 20 discs including songs, stories and vocabulary discs.

CD player - this is a really affordable option and believe me it works. I introduced a CD player to Otis around 18 months (perhaps a bit younger) and he was able to play it, change the volume and flip through songs. The CDs ended up with lots of finger prints on them but it was worth it. I preferred to use a CD player that used batteries so I didn't have to worry about a power cord.

Please let me know if you have any additional recommendations, I'd love to hear!

Edited to add: A reader suggested the Lunii which is a cute looking screen free audio box, recommended for children 3 to 8 years. It comes with a starter pack of 48 stories!! I really want to try this one too! This may also be a good option for long flights!

One of the main concerns parents have about children accessing their own snack is their ability or lack of ability to self regulate, that the child will eat everything that is available at once. My advice is to start small, perhaps one banana and one orange and allow the child to choose. At eighteen months Otto now has more food options available to him and although it comes slowly, he only snacks when he's hungry and only eats a small selection of what is available. But how do we manage it? Portion control helps. I only put out what I am happy for him to eat.

Above, at the start of the day, I clean out, fill or top up his breakfast and snack containers. We use these little jars for spread (jam, hummus, nut butter) so if he eats it all, it's not a problem! I only put out a handful of crackers and breadsticks.

Crackers, bread sticks and, granola are put on his snack shelves in little snap lock containers. (I prefer to use the glass lock containers but their lids are too tight/strong for Otto to open.)

All of the granola in the bowl! An older toddler might be able to self regulate further and only get out as much granola as they need, but Otto will use all that is in the container. He doesn't eat it all though, I should reduce the amount of granola in the container.

Then if this happens... also not a problem. It's not ideal that he is eating the hummus straight out of the jar, it's for spreading on crackers or eating with bread sticks, so I will role model that later. He can independently open these little lids but can't really put them on tight.

Little jars of jam, nut butters and hummus in the children's fridge door. We use a little pot for the yoghurt and sometimes chia pudding.

We use a similar method in the kitchen. We put dishwashing liquid in a small squishy (easy to use) bottle for Otto. It's also easy this way to dilute it if the toddler frequently uses too much. Now he can use his own little bottle of dishwashing liquid without the concerns of wastage or large spills. He spends a lot of time at the sink so this is a win-win.

We use these little bottles in the bathroom. Again this is also about portion control. By using little containers Otto really can't use too much. They allow him to independently use his bubble bath, soap and, shampoo without wastage or spills. These are all recycled small containers but travel bottles or sample bottles can work well too.

Today I'm sharing some new kitchen spaces and a few Montessori cooking ideas. I hope you enjoy!!

Above is a breakfast set up! Everything the child needs for breakfast ready to go into the bowl.

A no-bake sweet treat made in a Montessori toddler classroom, click through for the recipe. I love it when we focus on what children can do, rather than what they can't.

I think this toddler kitchen has it all!!!

Does your toddler really need their own kitchen? Perhaps a few shelves are enough!!

I can't tell you how much I love this space! I find this space much more practical than a play kitchen DIY/hack. There is a lot of room for storage and a lot of space for chopping and mixing and for ingredients and materials.

I adore this kitchen area. So simple and functional!! I'm sure this table is height adjustable and again, there is a lot of bench space for the child to work. I like to have the fridge really close too!

This lovely space is in Mexico. A bench with a tub, storage and work space!

This post includes images embedded from Instagram. If you cannot view the images please click here for the full post.

There is a lot to love about Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but have you ever wished for a more accurate version? Where there is a 'chrysalis' not a 'cocoon', where the caterpillar eats only plants and not cake and ice cream? Perhaps even where we can use words like 'pupa'?

We've been loving Caterpillar to Butterfly by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Caterpillar to Butterfly is not complicated, it is very simple for a young child to follow, it's real, natural and accurate! Nature is so very, very beautiful.

On a similar theme... one of Otto's favourite books is Tadpole to Frog! It is also about a lifecycle and also has the graduated flaps. This one uses words like 'metamorphosis' and 'amphibians'. Our copy of Tadpole to Frog is very well read and worn. Isn't this visually just wow?!? Why not give the child the full experience of nature and this whole series of books does it so well.

We have three more books in this Science for Toddlers series which I have not presented to Otto yet, but I will when the topics become relevant to him. Our Solar System, Sharks, and, Camouflage. They are just as fantastic. All of the books in this series are board books and the target audience is toddlers.

With each book, they collaborate with an expert from the American Museum of Natural History and each expert has a photograph and little blurb at the end of the book. This is a lovely way to introduce children to the very real people in our Scientific community and the jobs they do. I love this little touch!

Otto is almost 18 months old and it feels like a good time to revisit some of our Montessori home spaces. I'll explain how they work and how we troubleshoot. Our spaces are fluid, always changing. I hope these posts will give you a few ideas for your home environment.

At almost eighteen months Otto can:

Put on/take off socks independently - only loose socks, not socks that are tight. Wool socks are great.

Put on/take off boots independently - only his rain boots and not always on the right feet. He can also take them off.

Put on/take off hat independently - but will wear it covering his eyes/all crooked until I fit it.

Pull tops/tshirts/jumpers over his head - then I will hold the shirt arms out while he puts his arms through, and he likes to pull them down. When undressing I will help with the arms and he will take it off over his head.

Pull up his pants - once I have helped him to step in or put his feet through the opening. Most of his pants he can take off himself.

Take clothes off the hangers and he can take the hangers off the wardrobe - but he cannot put them back on.

We are constantly troubleshooting and adapting his environment. This is why observation is important, we can reduce barriers when they arise.

His training pants are getting a little tight and he needs some help pulling these up/taking them off. It's time to size up training pants.

Otto will pull all of his shirts off their hangers and throw them on the floor. A reminder to only put out limited options, 2-3 shirts only.

Otto had difficulty putting on socks and shoes without falling over, so we put in place a lower chair to sit on for support. The previous cube chair we had in this spot was too high.

If you are just getting started here are my tips!

Ensure clothes are easily accessible. Use low shelves and low hangers. Baskets and low drawers can be useful.

Allow access to a reasonable amount of clothing, not too many. It's unreasonable to expect a child to maintain order when there are excess clothes.

Leave the child plenty of time to get dressed, don't rush. The child will lose confidence if rushed or if you take over the dressing while they are in progress. I leave at least 10 minutes for Otto to get ready and he might use most of this time putting on his socks.

Encourage independence. I try to help Otto only as much as he needs. I allow him to do as much himself as he is able.

Give child-friendly options and set the child up for success. Buttons and zippers are often too difficult for a toddler, elastic waists are excellent.

Only present reasonable options (don't put out clothes you don't want them to wear) and increase the options as the child gets older.

If the child dresses unreasonably suggest a jumper/warmer clothing, take them outside and if necessary pack a jumper/warmer clothing if going out. Otto is a little too young to understand natural consequences so I always ensure we take warmer clothing with us.

Have the child put their dirty laundry in the laundry hamper when they take their clothes off.

Ask the child to put away their clean clothing. Toddlers seem to love this and it helps them to know where their clothes go and have authority and ownership over their own space/room.

As the child gets older have them put out their laundry on wash day and allow them to assist in washing/hanging/pegging and putting away their own clothes.

Hang a mirror at the child's level. We have a mirror on the back of Otto's bedroom door, it allows the child to observe themselves and their clothing.

Encouraging the child to dress themselves is worth it in the end. It may take longer initially but the more they do it the quicker they will become. Self-dressing encourages the child to take care of their own clothing and develop coordination, concentration and, independence. It increases body awareness and sense of self. It's also important to observe the child, read their body language, we don't want to push or force self dressing when the child isn't ready.

If you are looking for wardrobe options you might like the previous posts:

This month Otto will be eighteen months old. At the same age, both Caspar and Otis started at the local Montessori School attending a Parent-Toddler Class. Our first Montessori Parent-Toddler Class was life-changing, for the first time I could see and connect with a genuine Montessori environment, Montessori teachers and parents. I feel disappointed that Otto will not have the same experience. So what can you do if you can't get to a Montessori Parent-Toddler Class? Here are a few things I'll be doing:

Don't replicate a Montessori classroom at home. It would be easy to think if we can't get to a Montessori class we will create a class at home, but it's missing the point. We can use Montessori classrooms to inspire us and to give us ideas but our home environment needs to remain a home, we don't need all the materials or every practical life tray.

Read about the Montessori approach to toddlers. Going to a Parent-Toddler class gives you regular access to a Montessori trained teacher, it's easy to ask questions about your child's stage in development. If you can't get to a parent-toddler class I recommend reading and re-reading as your child ages (as I often do):

Visit a Montessori Parent-Toddler Class. If you haven't been to a Montessori class before try to visit during a school's open day, perhaps make a special day trip if there isn't a school near you or see if there is one near friends or family next time you visit them. I've visited/observed in a total of seven Parent-Toddler classrooms. Each class I've been in has left me feeling refreshed and inspired. Every time I visit a Montessori classroom I get new ideas for working with my own children.

Have a look at Montessori Parent-Toddler Classes online. I get lots of ideas looking at classrooms online, there are a few really nice Parent-Toddler Classrooms you can follow on Instagram including:

Seek out like-minded parents elsewhere. As we don't have a Parent-Toddler class or a Montessori community here I've found other places to connect with like-minded parents. For us it's Forest School, it's not Montessori but I have a lot in common with the other families. Many Montessori parents will find they have a lot in common with Waldorf, RIE or attachment parents. Look for alternative groups or playgroups and share what you have in common.

When observing or reading about Montessori Parent-Toddler classrooms see what appeals to you, what resonates. In one classroom I noted the flow of the snack area, how children seamlessly moved through the area with everything they needed. What stands out in every Parent-Toddler classroom I've been to is the materials. Most of the materials I see in the classrooms are handmade or affordable. Think puzzles, matching activities, posting, threading, sorting activities and lots of practical life. Teachers are often very resourceful and creative and it's what makes each classroom environment special, it's the personal touches.

Just a short note to let you know that the Sprout Kitchen Helper is now available for pre-order with discount!! If you haven't already, take a look at the design, I think you'll like it. Sprout have consulted with hundreds of teachers, parents, and caregivers to create a beautiful functional kitchen helper that enables children to be safely involved in the kitchen. It is adjustable from 18 months and is sustainably made in the US.

You can now use the discount code HWMKH to receive a 15% discount off the kitchen helper!! The preorder sale ends March 12th. Kitchen helpers will ship at or around April 15th.

Before we moved to the UK last year I was fortunate to connect with Carine from Montessori Family. She was a Montessori teacher and now runs a parent-toddler group in Central Bedfordshire. Carine has become a good friend and I relate to her style of parenting. I also appreciate the many hours she spends helping and educating Montessori parents from around the world. She is tireless and she is passionate. So when Carine brought out a Montessori Family subscription box I already knew it would be something I would like and knew I could trust the contents.

The Montessori Family Box is for children aged 3-6yrs. Otis is now seven but I thought he would like the Montessori Family Box theme of birds so we decided to give it a try! I also found that many aspects of the box would also be useful for younger children, we've involved Otto in some of the activities too. Our Montessori Family Box as pictured is c/o Montessori Family.

What I like about the Montessori Family Box is that the materials are adaptable to your child's age, skills and, abilities. Although instructions are provided, you can use the materials as you like. Below we have taken one of the three-part cards on a bird hunt. I know it's likely we will find a blackbird, so I have introduced the (verbal) word 'blackbird' to Otto and we go out looking for blackbirds - and find one!! Later we could use the cards for matching or sorting and next year or even the year after Otto can use them as three-part cards.

The materials are of high quality, they are all professionally made. The images are clear, the paper is glossy and the cards are thick. Each month the theme changes, so you can introduce them to your child or save them for when an interest arises. The Montessori Family Box is available for shipping in the UK and across Europe.

Access to a members area on the Montessori Family Website including videos on how to present and use the materials and extra resources like recorded bird sounds.

Robin Puzzle.

Bird Three-Part Cards - including birds from different habitats, with label cards, which also allow for sorting per habitat.

Parts of a Bird Three-Part Cards - these allow the child to learn and identify parts of the bird.

Bird Collage Materials - a picture of a bird with feathers for pasting including fine motor work.

Fair Trade Bird Whistle.

Beautiful Spot the Bird sheets - these encourage you to go outside and sport the bird, in three different habitats. Once we've used these on our nature/forest walks we will be cutting out the pictures are using them in collage or perhaps also for language materials. The pictures are too beautiful not to reuse them.

If you've ever made your own three-part card you will know how much work goes into them. If you haven't used three-part cards before this is a great place to learn and try them out. There are hours, perhaps weeks worth of potential lessons or work within these materials.

Once the Montessori Box is sold out the same theme won't be available again for two years. So if there is a chance your child will like the theme it's best to order a box and put it aside or it might spark an interest now. Some of the Montessori Family Box themes include: colour exploration, moon cycle, seasons, continents, birds, and, land/air/water. I wish we had ordered the colour exploration box when it was available as I love this theme but will keep my eyes out for next time it comes around!! All of the details of the Montessori Family Box can be found here.

Charity Shops and Dollar Stores are good places to find Montessori basics like practical life materials. We already have a lot of materials at home so I'm not looking for many new things but I love it when I find something that is unique or individual. I also love it when I see something that I really want and I know that it will only cost a dollar (or a pound). (I still think in dollars even though we use pounds here.)

Above, I've found a few wooden trays like this in charity shops. This one was £2, it has a center bowl surrounded by five leaf shapes bowls. It's suitable for snacks, or sorting activities or for a playdough tray.

Above, we found a large bag of buttons for £1. Buttons are wonderful for loose parts (more of a Reggio type activity) but I knew they would fit perfectly into our red bus money tin. Otto (17 months) loves this as he can independently post all the buttons into the money box tin and then open the tin to retrieve the buttons. Look at that little pincer, this is an excellent fine motor activity! With small parts this activity requires supervision.

While you could call this an open-close tray, as all the containers are tins, it's more like lid matching. I specifically made this tray using all tins. Some of these tins are from the dollar store, I look for tins for tea, chocolate, spices and, candles. Even in the supermarket I look for products in cute tins or jars that I can reuse somehow.

WIthout even matching the lids, Otto finds it satisfying just opening and closing one tin! It is almost like doing a puzzle "yes, that fits!!".

This mirror tray is from the Dollar Store (Poundland) for £1. I've been looking for mirror trays but they are super expensive. This is smaller than I wanted but it works. Look at the pretty reflections.

The mirror has a hook on the back and is designed to hang on the wall. But we are currently using it in our nature table to display items from the seashore. I also want to use it as a loose parts (again more Reggio) exploration tray for Otto. It would also work well with transparent blocks.

Our charity shops always have a lot of baskets, but I've been looking out for larger baskets. This one above works well for a music basket and now we are using it for a nature basket, it holds so much. Otto loves big baskets like this as he can really get his hands in and sometimes he will sit in the basket. I'm now thinking it would also be a nice basket to put our journals and art materials in when we do some nature journalling. This one was £2 and when we are finished with it we can donate it back! I encourage you to look around your home and donate where you can, I know it means a lot to many Montessori families to find suitable materials for their children in charity shops at reasonable prices.

Bunch of Daffodils Card - I love the idea of using cards for art and why not use plant prints which celebrate the season.

First Signs of Spring Print - these first signs of spring/summer/autumn/winter prints are brilliant, we have this one and we also have it in the card size, with the Spring flowers and garden bird cards too. They work so well in the child's space.

Flower Press - this is a nice reminder now that is the time to get out the flower press!

Frog Lifecycle Wooden Puzzle - we have a favourite spot to watch for and monitor the frog lifecycle at our local nature reserve. There are no frog eggs there yet, but hopefully soon. This frog lifecycle puzzle is lovely and has a control of error.

Frog Lifecycle Clay - wow, this is amazing, it would be wonderful in a classroom where it could be used and seen by many children.

I really wanted to write this post as this is may be the smallest house we will live in as a family. There are a few things unique about our current situation. We are living overseas for two years, so we don't have a lot of our things with us and our accommodation is temporary, we can't make any changes to our house. But there might be others in a similar situation or some of these ideas might apply to others renting or living in small spaces.

It is so important for us to remember that bigger isn't better, we aren't better parents if we have a bigger house. We can't do or apply Montessori more in a larger house. Bigger ≠ Better. Smaller spaces may test us, may make us more creative but they do not lessen our ability to parent in a Montessori way.

I'm no expert in small spaces but here are a few things that have helped us along the way.

Compromise, prioritize and make do. Every family will be prepared to compromise in different ways.

We use our dining room as a playroom. Like a lot of our local friends, we decided to use our dining room as a playroom. We eat at a small table in our kitchen, it's tight. It wouldn't work for us permanently but it works for now. A playroom allows Otto to have a snack area and work shelves downstairs where we spend most of our time. It provides a largish, communal area for the boys to play.

Otto uses a crib size floor bed. Otto started in a very small bedroom. We put a single mattress in there but it took up most of the space. Otto is comfortable with a crib size bed and it allows for space in his room for other things like a small bookcase, low shelves and, materials.

We don't have room for a potty in our bathroom or toilets (without tripping or stepping over them) so we have Otto's potties in the walkway/corridor near the toilets. It's not ideal by Montessori standards but it works ok.

Maintain order. Order has never been more important. In small spaces, it can get very cluttered very quickly. So maintaining order is important, everything needs to have a place and be put away when finished.

Look for multipurpose furniture.

We use a height adjustable table. We have a height adjustable table that can be used by all three children (1, 7 and 11 yrs). This is a real space saver. We use it for puzzles, art even group cooking. Rather than having multiple tables, this one table can be used in different rooms by different children.

Otto uses his snack table also as a work table. I have no problems with the child using their table for eating and work/art/play.

Look for storage in unusual places. We have two Ikea footstools in our lounge that have excellent storage in them. One footstool has all of our (clean) children's gardening/weather/outdoor materials and the other has a lot of infant/toddler materials that are out of rotation. The footstool are comfortable to sit on and the storage is invaluable. While bunk beds would have worked better, both older boys have cabin beds which have excellent storage underneath them. The cabin beds also have built in shelving for clothes and/or stationary/books.

Utilize outside spaces. We use our outdoor space as much as we can. Art shelves, even practical life shelves can work well outdoors. It's also practical for sand/water tables and perhaps even an easel to be used outside.

Live with less. I've been trying to donate materials and clothes as soon as the children have finished or outgrown them. We have no space for storing items we won't need again. In the past I would have held onto materials for years but it feels good to only hold onto the things we need.

Use the library more. Books take up so much space, it's good to use the library as much as we can. Toy libraries can be an excellent resource too (my sister has an excellent one where she lives and she often borrows larger toys and materials!!).

Use wall storage. Floating shelves, hanging bookcases, peg boards can work well to store and display materials that are accessible to children. We use our window sills for little displays and for Otis' collections like rocks, minerals and, plants (the window sills here are very deep). We love our wall display box also for displaying collections. Shelves, window sills can also work well for nature tables or for nature displays.

We use a clothes airer that goes on the radiator, I first saw the idea here. It is completely safe, doesn't take up any space and it allows a toddler to hang up clothing! Win-win.

Get fresh eyes to look over your space. I had a Montessori friend visit and we discussed how we are currently using the playroom. She had so many quick suggestions about what would fit where. Often fresh eyes can see the possibilities, can see things differently and if you are struggling to rearrange furniture or fit everything in, it may be worth asking a friend to offer suggestions.

Use open shelving and natural/light colours. Both of these help to make the rooms feel more light, airy and spacious.

Rotate Large Toys. We rotate all of our large toys like the marble music tree, ball tracker, pikler arch, trike, wheely bug, radio flyer walker. We don't have space to have all of them out and once.

I recently had a light bulb moment regarding children's picture frames. Otis was frequently bringing art-work home from art class and he has so many sports certificates and awards. He wanted to display them and blu-tack was removing paint from our walls. What if he could change the frames himself, and then put whatever certificate he wanted in the frame? It was possible!! We've started using the Articulate Gallery Frames but we also have the DeNoest frames throughout our house for rotating art cards. Here are a few child friendly picture frames that we have and recommend or are on our wish list:

Children's Single Art Work Picture Frame A4 by Articulate Gallery. This has been perfect for Otis' sports awards as well as artwork, it is really, really easy to slide the art or certificate into the frame, a toddler could probably do it independently but definitely by preschool age. These are a little heavier and more solid than some of our other frames but they are also very sturdy.

Joyful Child Frame by Michael Olaf. This frame fits a pack of 10 the art cards also at Michael Olaf which makes them really easy to rotate. The cards slip in through an opening at the top and there is no glass on the frame to worry about. Perfect for putting at the child's height.

Poster Frame A4 by DeNoest. DeNoest have a good range of wooden frames we use the A4 and postcard size frames. The A4 size is perfect for displaying flat children's artwork. The frames have a slot on the side so it's easy to slide in or out the art or a picture. These are also surprisingly light so are fine to hang with command strips or on a simple hook. Can be used landscape or portrait. The timber on these is lovely.

I'm currently reading Barefoot and Balanced by Angela J. Hanscom. It's about how unrestricted outdoor play makes for strong, confident and capable children. It's an excellent book for parents and teachers. One reviewer said "This book is a must read for anyone interested in helping children develop the way they were created to develop. I am a different parent because of this book. I will be making different educational choices for my children because of this book." Wow!

It's also perfectly in line with the Montessori way of thinking - "Children are naturally curious and seek out opportunities to make sense of their world. When children are left to their own devices, they experiment and with their surroundings, take risks, make mistakes, and then learn from their mistakes." The author also provides practical ideas for spending time outside starting with babies! I love the concept that the outdoors offer a perfectly balanced sensory experience. In Montessori we talk so much about the indoors, here is a snapshot of our outdoor play today.

While our backyard isn't like an open meadow or forest we do provide unrestricted access. It's still winter but the sun has been out and it's been so very beautiful.

Our outdoor space is treated much like our indoor space. Otto has free access to his materials. It's almost a 'yes' space, there isn't anything he can't touch or do (besides eat the dirt or the plants). Our neighbor's dog keeps on getting over the fence which is a delight, Otto looks for her first thing in the morning.

Although we have an art easel, a sand/water table and, a few materials, Otto spends most of his time outdoors running around with a stick, or his rake - just being busy or digging. Buckets are very important to our outdoor space as Otto will spend a lot of time transporting water. He's also barefoot outdoors as much as he can while the warm weather is here. The feet get a lot of sensory feedback and going barefoot helps to develop those little feet muscles.

I'm also passionate about block play. In Australia, we had a unit block set that the boys often used outside. Unit blocks are very large and the children could build high structures. Here in the UK, I wanted a set of blocks just for outside, we decided to use the very affordable tree branch blocks pictured above. These have a lovely texture and are perfect for Otto, with some big pieces and some little pieces. He can throw them, he can bang them together and he's not going to do any damage.

While we have chosen not to have a Pink Tower at home (Otto can use that once he starts school) we have toddler stacking boxes which are fun to use outside too.

The stacking boxes are large and heavy so they provide a different kind of experience for Otto.

There are a lot of lists around about Montessori food activities for toddlers, so I wanted to share the activities that we actually did in our home today. It might look like a lot but these are activities that we do throughout the day organically, they aren't put on the shelf in life practical life trays. Some of these activities Otto (17 months) will do in his snack area (pictured above) and some at the kitchen counter, it depends on what we are doing at the time. Anyway, I hope you find this snapshot useful!

Picking Herbs - this is a sweet basil variety and Otto is pulling the leaves (gently as possible) off the plant.

Whisking Eggs - in preparation for cooking the eggs, be careful with this one, you don't want the toddler licking or eating the raw egg.

Peeling an Egg - this is fantastic for fine motor control and teaching the toddler to be gentle. The egg can then be sliced and eaten for snack.

Mashing Avocado - we often mash bananas too for muffins. Avocado is so nutrient dense it is an excellent snack on toast or in a sandwich. Along with the mortar and pestle work it's really suited to the toddler as the child can get a little rough and use their strength.

Crush Herbs with Mortar and Pestle - Otto loves this!! It requires a little force and makes a bit of noise. Here he is crushing and grinding some basil, add some olive oil and pine nuts and you have pesto!

Making Cheese Snack - using cocktail sticks Otto is preparing snack for a friend. Add some crackers or bread sticks (Otto loves little bread sticks) and perhaps some cherry tomatoes and you have a little toddler made platter. This is fantastic fine motor work. We prefer to use cocktail sticks that aren't so sharp, but use what you can.

Pulling Apart Garlic - this is a good activity for toddlers who like to rip or pull things apart. It's also good transferring work. Otto also did a little (unprompted) peeling.

Peeling a Banana - we go through a lot of bananas so this is an everyday practice. I've cut a banana in two and cut a little slice to allow Otto to peel it. You can see here how I prepared banana peeling previously for Otis.

Peeling a Mandarin - this is a fantastic reminder to eat seasonally, the mandarins are fantastic right now. Otto ate five of them straight! Ours are seedless and the segments are so small they don't present a chocking hazard. Otto not only has to peel them but then also to pull them into segments. Delicious!

Mixing in Pesto - Otto is mixing our homemade pesto through some pasta. When he is finished we put a beeswax wrap on the bowl and put it in the (children's) fridge until dinner. This is a nice little reminder that food preparation can be real, the very young toddler can make a real contribution to family life and towards a family meal! You may not see it but the child knows the work they have done, imagine how it must feel for a young child to see the family enjoy the food that they've made!

Have you seen the new Kitchen Helper at Sprout? It allows young children to safely and independently reach the kitchen counter or sink. One thing I love about the Sprout team is that they do a huge amount of consultation. When designing their Montessori (and Montessori inspired) furniture, they work with Montessori teachers and parents and work and work until the design passes all the tests and meets all the requirements. Which why I think you'll like this design.

There are a couple of other reasons why I'll always have a really good look at Sprout furniture. It's made by a company with heart, the products are made in the US and the pieces all just click together (it's genius how well it works). As someone who moves a lot and also moves across continents I appreciate how easy it is to assemble (no screws, no hex keys), disassemble and ship flat packed.

The Sprout Kitchen Helper is made from durable baltic birch just like the rest of their Montessori range, it's natural and looks great. The Kitchen Helper is designed for children from 18 months of age, the toddler can climb into the helper themselves (as above) or if the child is a little younger, you can turn the helper around (so the steps are against the cupboard) and you can lift the child in. It's nice and secure, the child can safely access the kitchen bench and make their own snack or help you in the kitchen! It's also height adjustable.

I love that it has no screws, is streamlined and compact. Would I have this in my kitchen? Yes!

The good news is the Kitchen Helper will be available for pre-order from March 5. I will post a reminder during the pre-order period along with a nice discount, so stay tuned.

Sprout are running a give away from now until midnight March 4 (MST US). All you need to do to enter is to click "Get on the List" on the Kitchen Helper product page and sign up for the launch notifications. The giveaway will close and a winner will be chosen right before the pre-order goes live.

I don't know of any similar products that are made specifically for and with detailed input from the Montessori community. Sprout also ship to the UK and internationally. Shipping prices are calculated at check out. HWM is an affiliate partner with Sprout, we have Sprout furniture in our home and I wouldn't endorse a product that I didn't believe in. Let me know if you have any questions about the Kitchen Helper, and I'll get an answer before the launch.